Rajgad Unleashed

RAJGAD REWINDED

It all began with the trip to Lohagad. (50 kms. from Pune on Mumbai-Pune expressway). The trip came about to be a huge success, because nearly after two years we all friends were having a combo trip. We were in all sixteen. The trip had taken place on Saturday, a usual holiday for our colleges. The news of the trip cum trek spread like wildfire. We had to face the wrath of those who were not a part of the expedition. Perhaps I felt the unity in my class for the first time. To make the things softer, we all decided to arrange the next trip to Rajgad (called the king of all forts).

The trip was planned in the immediate coming Saturday after the trip to Lohagad. But somehow I had some work on the weekend. The whole crew was disappointed. But as always I had a solution. The college had just started and there wasn’t any serious studies being done. So I persuaded everyone to reschedule the trip on Thurday. (I don’t mention here that the trip was planned the day before)

The Lohagad was conquered by the train. But we had to conquer this Rajgad on our bikes, so five bikes were launched together, including my brand new Chrome cherry red Hunk. I find it important to mention here that the Rain god which was absent from his class for nearly half of the July, had appeared on Monday of that week. Wednesday was dry so would the Thursday be, thought we. But Rain God had a different thing to favour that day.

We set off on our bikes, Sumedh and I on my Hunk, Tejas and Ameya on other Hunk. No we were not the Hunk gang, absolutely not. Satya and Vijay were followed by Nilesh and Sagar. And finally came Sandeep, pillion with him was Ganesh.

We started at eight in the morning. We had our raincoats in our bags, which was a proof that we hoped the Rain God to do us a favour. As we passed the Katraj ghat, tiny showers hinted us that we were never going to forget this day. The time when we crossed the ghat we were all wet. The rain force propelled us to take a halt.

Tejas who is a chain tea drinker made us wait at a dhaba. The coldness was ushering into us. We drank the hot tea along with Tejas, who managed to drink three cups when all of us were even finishing our first. The rain lessened which gave us some strength to carry on further and the hot tea which ran through our veins made our minds hot.

We set of again, now fully equipped with the rain coats and other gear. The road was pleasing. As long as we were nearing our target, the rain force was multiplying. But the scenic beauty everywhere was amazing. The mountains were green clad. The tress the farms the valleys the mountains were at their best. The time we reached the base of the mighty Rajgad the Gunjvane village we were completely wet. We all parked our bikes and gathered to plan the next four five hours. Rajgad won but we lost. No matter what the rains had planned that day, it was impossible to return empty handed. So we all decided to conquer Shivaji Maharaj’s capital.

The canteen vendor at the base hinted us to eat something as he knew; nothing would be available up there. So we ordered steaming hot poha. Two plates were sufficient and the entire bill was thrown on Sandeep, who was our money manager. In all the trips we made he was the one who would pay on the spot and then calculate each one share afterwards.

So we all set in, now the rain had stopped for a while, this made our minds clearer to trek on. Initial 100-150 meters was fun, but as we steeped in there were drops and drops of sweat running down our faces. We again halted. From the point where we stopped we could see the whole valley and adjoining mountains all green clad. The wind was calm and cool. How beautiful it was! We were spell bound by the beauty of Maharashtra. It is a common belief among most of us that we talk about Switzerland, Mauritius, and Africa etc. But do we Marathi people even take care of watching the nature around us? The scenic beauty of forts, it is no less than any international tourist centre.

We marched forward, but here upward would be more promising, because now there was no flat ground, it was steeping and steeping. It started raining again, but this time we welcomed it as, we no longer felt it’s presence because we were already wet. But this time rain brought with it cold winds. When the cold air went to our nose ears mouth it made us shiver from head to toe. But we marched, marched through the hooks and nooks of the wet trees and grasses. The steps of the original fort had now started leaving behind the foot road. It was becoming harder to step because the path was slippery, then on one side huge mountain and on the other side deep valley and only two feet path. It was extremely dangerous even to talk while we walk. Sorry Abhishek , we can’t follow your precious advice all the time when our lives are at stake.

One wrong foot or imbalance and you would land up somewhere on the hard rock’s with scavengers feasting on you. With at most care and concentration, we reached a kamaan, which we thought to be the highest point on the fort. We read on it, chor darwaja. Hell it man, we came through the thief door, the most difficult part of the fort. We saw theburuj and duheri tatbandi on which we settled ourselves. Let me draw your attention on the rains, it hadn’t stopped since we began from our earlier halt and it was heavily pouring down. The place where we settled was called suwela machi. Ganesh our enthusiastic mate, hinted us that the peak is just a few minutes away. So we gathered our strength and started once again. By now the things in my bag too had wetted. There was not a single piece of dry cloth left in our inventory.

The next main highlight of the fort was the Balle killa. It was ruined completely over there we came across a temple,Padmavati talav (lake), Rajwada, Daru Kothar and the safest Gunjvane door. The Padmavati machi and Suvela machi lie on the other side of the Bale killa (fort).

As we reached the top of the Balle killa heavy showers started pouring down and height of the fort exposed us to the cold ferocious winds blowing apart us. Some of us took shelter behind huge rocks. Coldness was ushering our veins. So in order to keep the body warm some of our talented Engineers’ started exercising. Like jumping, a few even started Surya Namaskar. It was impossible for me to support them so I returned behind the shelter. It was good behind it. Now it was the time for our stomachs to start their protest. They were under the impression that they would get something up on the fort. But they were deceived. There was no one up on the fort; not a single soul was present to blow up their own horns like we were.

Among us was Vijay. Let me tell you about Vijay. He had brought a big packet of biscuits and ladoos but had forgotten to bring raincoat. The result, he was on the verge of freezing. The biscuits and ladoos were finished within seconds. Some energy started developing in us. Mission Rajgad was finished. There was no reason to visit the remaining part of the fort. We started climbing down, again through the chor darwaja. We came down on our second halt and rested. At an instant Satyajeet sprang to life. Like a heart attack or something. He shouted his Specs. No one understood him then everyone realized he had left his spectacles up where we sat eating. Curses blew from everyone’s mouth. So after a chat it was decided that Tejas the chain Tea drinker to accompany him. We all had to wait for them. So we found a shelter and sat there. After an hour the couple returned along with the specs. Everyone was dying; the legs had given up much earlier. Many of us had cramps and falls from the slippery stones.

The fact of that day was, everyone was helpful, no one was self concerned. Each one of us had seen life and death that day. It was clear the no matter how much we Indians hate each other but at the time of crises we are one. Then nothing is mine and nothing is yours. Everything is ours. At around four we were back to the base village. We had to now refuel our stomachs, so we took our bikes and started towards Pune. In between we had our lunch at a dhabathe watch was hinting six, and we were back through the Katraj tunnel to get lost in the huge city of education. Our hands were sticky, my long hairs were scattered and the wet clothes were stinking before I entered my building.

Did I tell you what happened between the dhaba and the fort?

I was driving calmly and as everyone was racing went ahead of us. Sumedh was with me. And just at the corner of the highway my bike gave away. The dial showed fuel empty. I thought as the highway was near, finding a petrol pump was not a big deal. So we pushed the bike. Friends it is not easy to push the 150 kg Hunk when you have trekked for the last six hours. Feeling our absence, Tejas came alone from the wrong way to find us. He took Sumedh along with him towards the dhaba, which was near. I searched for the fuel pump. After pushing the bike I found the pump. When I went in, I realized I was alone, not even the wallet was with me. Hell. I waited for fifteen minutes before Tejas came again to my rescue…